


Brainy is the new sexy

by MorganeUK



Series: The Doctor & the Librarian [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe, Brainy is the new sexy, Chatting & Messaging, Clueless Sherlock, Doctor John, Librarian Sherlock, M/M, Pining John, Sherlock Being Sherlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-01 16:24:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11490174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganeUK/pseuds/MorganeUK
Summary: Three days before John talked (wrote in fact!) to a sassy librarian that helped him on a medical case...Now, he's desperately want to talk to him again! He opens up to his friends about how he falls quickly for the unknown man,  Molly is sympathetic but Mike founds it utterly funny!He's a grown man, with an important job to do as a ICU doctor at Bart's... sigh... What a man must do to found love!





	Brainy is the new sexy

**Author's Note:**

> The series is now finished!
> 
> Each story can be read independently I think,,, but it's better to read them in order :-)
> 
> Thank you to notjustmom for the beta-ification, you're the best as always :)

"Who gives a false name at work?" Molly's peals of laughter wake John from his daydreaming about a librarian! "Did I just say that aloud?" _I totally forgot that I was at Bart's on my lunch break!_ _This is ridiculous!_

"Yes, man, you did!" His friend Mike replies with a big smile. "You don't see your face right now, you've got it solid man... Come on, what's the story?"

"Have you found someone interesting? Oh John, I am so happy for you!" Molly often thinks about the ex-army doctor.  He's always so lonely, except at work.  No girlfriend or boyfriend, no real contact with his family, no other friends, it is kind of sad after all he went through... "And WHAT... You don't know her name? This is funny!"

"It's a he, I think or it is also bullshit..." John mutters. "This is silly, just a mirage that will never become anything." The high that he got after talking with his colleague about the diagnosis, because of the librarian's cunning ability two days ago, was now gone.  _I am stupid; I can't fall for someone from a ten minute discussion on a bloody help line... Pathetic!_

Looking at his friends, and with the promise that they won't laugh at him, he relates with a defeated expression the short discussion.  "I contacted the Oxford Library help line because I was needing an article to confirm a diagnosis, you know that case Churchill was rambling about? I spoke with a librarian, really sassy... As I am neither a student nor a member of staff he couldn't give me the article because of licensing issues or whatever. He asked me to give him the symptoms... and confirmed my diagnosis in two minutes." John was still flabbergasted by the skills of the man. _Or woman, God, this is ridiculous!_

"He's a intelligent bastard, for sure, and that's was it?" Mike was glancing dubiously at his friend.

"It's not all, he... I don't know how to explain it, but he was able to... read me? deduce me? After only few words he could tell that I was an ICU doctor! It's more that being intelligent, he's brilliant! And even after he was aware that I am a doctor, he put me in my place once or twice." John has not been interested in someone like this in a long time.

"I think it's wonderful!" Molly warns Mike with a not so soft kick under the table "... and we support anything you want to do to find him!"

"That's the worst thing... I searched for him on the library directory, but no librarian is called _William_. He didn't text me back and I don't know what to do next..." He theatrically laid his head heavily on the cafeteria table with a big profound sigh. _I'm back in college again!_

Mike, finally unable to control himself, laughed out loud. "I can't believe this, you give your REAL phone number to a bloke after 10 minutes...OUCH! Molly!!!!" Molly, who kicks her friend with all her strength (and the help of one of her pointy shoes), looks angelic and smiles as Mike narrows his eyes at her.

"Sorry, mate." Mike was massaging his ankle under the table. "If you feel something this strong, you should find a way to get in touch with him. Have you tried to contact the help line again?"

"Yes, a few times. But it's not him... It's some boring professional who would loooove to help but can't because I'm not an 'oxfordian'. Not a sassy, talented, curious, sexy librarian!"

"You can't know if you'll find him attractive, darling." Molly was looking at John with sympathy. 

Mike, having wisely moved out of reach from Molly's point shoe, couldn't resist. "Yeah, maybe he is an absolute geek with oily skin full of acne; or it's an old man with hairs in his nose or a fifty year old man with a loving wife and three kids. The only thing you know for sure, it's that he's brainy!"

"Brainy is the new sexy..." John replies with a definitive tone, ending the discussion before going back to work.

 

That evening, John was once more in front of his computer.  

_Let's try one last time... If I still came to nothing, I will go to Oxford! Oh God, I'm crazy... And what should I say? Hi! I'm looking for an unknown librarian, probably a man, and I hope really sexy, can you help me? _

For the third night in a row, John sits in front of his laptop. Not wanting to ask directly 'Is it William?', he inquired each time about something that should trigger a feisty reply. A simple question: "Is it possible to access to Oxford electronic resources outside the Campus?" should be perfect to trigger the inner sassiness of _his_ librarian. So far, the responses are always similar _No problem sir, do you have your ID number near, I will help you step by step._ (Definitely not William!) 

Ready, a fresh cup of tea nearby, he clicks on the now familiar, 'Talk to a Librarian' link.

 

Help desk: How can I help you?

Guest: I have question.

Help desk: Good think you click on that link then... Go on and don't be boring!

(Oh My God! It's...)

Guest: Is it possible to access to Oxford electronic resources outside the Campus?

Help desk: Yes and everything is already well documented on our web site. You do know how Internet works, right?

(It's him... A workplace can only have one cheeky sexy bastard or the whole ecosystem will collapse in on itself! Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in...)

Help desk: Are you still there? You know, it may be better for you to use only things in hard copy... we have a really wonderful collections of rare books and...

Guest: ... William?

Help desk: (...) Yes?

Guest: It's John, from the other night. (...) you remember, the diagnosis you helped me with?

Help desk: What can I do for you?  You're still not a member of this institution I suppose?

Guest: Eh no, I'm not. (...) I just want to let you know that it was the right diagnosis and doctors are treating the patient accordingly.

Help desk: That's... good?

Guest: Yes, it is! At least they know what they are dealing with.

Help desk: Is that all? I've got work to do.

Guest: What are you doing right now? 

Help desk: You want to know what I am doing? Why?

Guest: I'm curious.  I know that you don't do shelving or work the circulation desk and that you are not supposed to be on the Help desk line... but otherwise, nothing!

Help desk: It's nothing that would interest you. Good night.

Guest: Don't go!

Guest: William!

Guest: You didn't log out, I know you can read me.

Guest: I'm curious, that's all. I want to know more about you. I know nothing about you except you're a librarian. You already guessed that I'm an ICU doctor...

Help desk: I DON'T GUESS!!

Guest: Gotcha!  But really, do you have something to do more interesting than flirting with me?

Help desk: Is it flirting? You can't flirt with an unidentified man. I could be married with kids or old enough to be your father.  

Help desk: Or a serial killer.

Guest: I can say for sure that you're not a serial killer (...) I don’t know what you are doing to me, but every time I think about our last conversation I can’t stop smiling. 

Help desk: It's only the satisfaction of solving a case. (...) It's a familiar feeling I can appreciate. 

Guest: Is this why you become a librarian? To find things, clues... Discover answers in the chaos of all the information?

Help desk: Yes, something like that.  (...) I (...) I need to keep my mind occupy.

Guest: You've got something like ADHD?

Help desk: Yeah... something like that.

Guest: What are you doing when you are not helping a helpless, 35-ish years old, blond, globally in shape and single doctor?

Help desk: Are you back to flirting?

Guest: I've never quit ;-)

Help desk: sigh... ok I will reply to your question seriously then you will let me go back to work.  I'm a librarian in-situ, that's mean that I'm working in a faculty, directly with the professors and the researchers and helping them in their projects. I'm doing the help desk only when nobody else is available.

Help desk: Satisfied?

Guest: Yes :-) Ta. This is a great job to participate in the creation of new knowledge and discoveries. That's pretty impressive when you're thinking about it. One more thing and I'll let you go.

Help desk: What?

Guest: Your real name? Please...

(Help desk is disconnected)

 

 _Shit..._ He picked up his cup of tea and slowly sips the now lukewarm liquid when a musical 'bing' resonates in the room. Opening his phone, he reads the new text message from an unknown caller.

_"It's Sherlock. -SH" _

He quickly saves the number and the name in his directory. The hope of something new, anything, brings a huge smile to his face.

**Author's Note:**

> * Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder


End file.
